Avalanche draft Martin Kaut 16th overall

The Colorado Avalanche used the 16th overall pick at the 2018 NHL entry draft to select Czech forward Martin Kaut.

Kaut finished the season as the No. 4 ranked European skater on the NHL’s Central Scouting final report, and No. 16 overall skater on TSN’s final scouting report.

A good skating, strong two-way forward, who thinks the game very well had a good season in the Czech pro league, posting 16 points (9-7—16) in 38 games as an 18-year-old. Kaut really started gaining some recognition when he came to Buffalo to play in the World Junior Championships, where he put up seven points (2-5—7) in seven games.

Joe Sakic told members of the media after the pick was made that Kaut was their guy the whole time, given his combination of size, speed, shooting ability and being able to play on the wall. It’s a pick that makes a lot of sense for the Avalanche – it fills a position of need, and allows them to get a player that can play at the uptempo style they like, while still getting a big player that can play at both ends of the ice.

Kaut, who said he likes to model his game off of Patrice Bergeron, had a bit of a health scare at the scouting combine a few weeks ago in Buffalo, New York. A congenital heart condition showed itself during medical screenings, so he was allowed to interview with teams but not take part in the physical testing. He made it clear when talking to members of the media that this will not be an issue going forward, that it was taken care of weeks ago and he is ready to go.

Playing in the Czech Republic’s top pro league, Kaut played top-six minutes in all situations, so he feels like he can make the jump to the NHL sooner rather than later, saying he plans to come to North America next season.

He plays really well in both ends of the ice and is considered by some to be one of the most complete wingers in this year’s draft. A high reward, low-risk kind of guy that can slot in behind Mikko Rantanen, play on the power play and kill penalties.

There were a lot of quality players that fell into Colorado’s range at the draft, but you might be hard-pressed to find one that would have been a better fit. Expect to see Martin Kaut in Loveland next year playing with the Colorado Eagles.